Machine for curbing chains.



No. 644,539. Patented Feb. 27, I900.

' J. W. PBESBREY.

MACHINE FOB CURBING CHAINS.

(Application filed Sept. 14, 1899.)

(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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Patented Feb. 27. I900.

J. W. PRESBREY.

MACHINE FOR CUBBING CHAINS.

(Application filed Sept. 14, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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JEREMIAH WV. PRESBREY, OF ATTLEBOROUGII, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR CURBING CHAINS.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 644,539, dated February 2'7, 1900. Application filed September 14, 1899. Serial No. 730,418. (No model.)

.To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEREMIAH W. Pans- BREY, a citizen of the United States, residing in Attleborough, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Machine for Curbing Chains, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in the novel features, combinations, and arrangements of parts hereinafter described, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a chain-curbing machine constructed according to my inven tion. Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the feed-mechanism-adjusting device. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are detail views of parts of the mechanism.

Similar reference letters and numerals indicate like parts where they occur in the drawings.

A represents the bed of the machine, upon which are mounted the several housings and bearings B, O, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, and L.

In the housing Bis j ournaleda hollow shaft 1, carrying adriving-pulley2 and gear 3 and terminating at one end in a bifurcated arm 4, adapted to serve as a supporting-bearin g for a revoluble removable spool 5, and carrying means, as a spring 6 and adjusting-screw 7, for regulating frictionally the revolution of said spool. At its opposite end said shaft 1 terminates in a head-piece in which are gibbed the adjustable supports 9 and 10, in which respectively are revolubly mounted peripherally-grooved wheels 11 and 12. Adjustingscrews 13 and 14 afford means for adjusting said wheels in said head-piece relatively to each other. Said spool and wheels, it will be seen, are revoluble together with the drivingpulley 2 and gear 3 upon said shaft 1 as a common axis, and at the same time, by reason of their being mounted upon independent axes located in planes at right angles to the plane of the axis of the shaft 1, they respectively will also be capable of contemporaneous independent revolution upon their respective axes. This is an important feature, because in connection with the mechanism hereinafter explained I am enabled to obtain the required twisting and progressive forward or feed movements contemporaneously.

In the housing 0 is journaled an upper wheel 15, provided with two parallel adjacent peripheral grooves, Fig. 5, and arranged to be driven by a gear 16. A lower wheel 17 is journaled in said housing and is similarly grooved peripherally and arranged to be driven bya gear (not shown) secured upon its shaftin mesh with the gear 16. Said wheel 15 is adjustable vertically in said'housin g by means of the adjusting-screw 18. On that face of the housing 0 adjacent to the housing B are movably secured the companion holding-jaws 19 and 20 by means of bolts 19 and 20, respectively, passing through slots in said jaws and tapped or otherwise secured to the said housing. Vertical adjustment of said jaw 19 is effected by means of the adj usting-screw 21 and of the jaw 20 by means of a similar screw 22. Said jaws are each provided with parallel grooves adapted to receive and hold the previously-flattened links while the twist is being imparted to that portion of the chain between the wheels 11 12 and said jaws 19 20 by the revolution of the shaft 1 and the parts more intimately connected therewith. It will here be noted that the grooves in the faces of the wheels 11 12 are arranged in a plane at right angles to the plane of the grooves in the jaws 19 20, and also that there is only a single groove in each of the wheels 11 12, so arranged as to admit of the passage through the same of a chain in which the adjacent links lie in planes at right angles to each other. The housing 0 is made movable on its bed, and an adj usting-screw, as 23, affords means for adjusting and securing said housing in the proper position thereon.

In the housing D, similarly adjustable on its bed, are journaled the upper wheel 24 (adjustable vertically by means of an adj ustingscrew 25) and a lower wheel 27. Upon the shaft of the wheel 24 is mounted a drivinggear 26, and upon the shaft of the wheel 27 is mounted a gear (not shown) in mesh with said gear 26. These two wheels serve to keep the proper tension on the chain in its passage through the machine and to assist in the feed of the same.

In the bearings E and F is journaled a removable shaft adapted to receive a spool 28 and provided with a gear, (not shown,) arranged to mesh with agear 31 upon the shaft 32, journaled in the bearings F and G and driven through a miter-gear 33, secured upon its opposite end. A spring, as 29, in conjunction with an adj UStlllJg-SCIGW 30,aifords means for regulating the revolution of the spool 28. The feed-shaft 34 is journaled in bearings H and I and is provided at one end with a miter-gear 35, meshing with the miter-gear 33, and at its opposite end with a ratchet-wheel 45, through which said shaft is driven, as hereinafter explained. On the end of said shaft 34 are pivotally mounted the arms 48 and 48, which respectively carry the pallets 46 and 47. The shaft 34 is axially bored to receive the shank of the supporting block or box 53, which is loosely held therein by a pin passing at right angles into said shaft and engaging with an annular recess in said shank, preferably near its end, as shown by the dotted lines at m, Fig. 1. One end of the connecting rod or strap 52 is arranged for free movement in said block or box 53, while its opposite end is pivoted upon a crank-pin 54, movably seated in a guideway in the face of the crank-disk 55, secured upon one end of a shaft 56, journaled in the bearing L. On the opposite end of said shaft is secured a gear 57, in mesh with the gear 3 on the drivingshaft 1. Adjusting means, as the screw 58, are provided for moving said pin 54 toward or from the axis of said disk 55 to give the required degree of eccentric movement to the connected end of the rod 52. Intermediately upon said rod 52 is rigidly secureda crossbar 51. A link 49 is pivoted at one end upon the arm 48, and at its opposite end is pivoted to one end of the cross-arm 51, while a similar link 50 is likewise pivoted at one end upon the arm 48 and at its opposite end is pivoted to the opposite end of the cross-bar 51. A spring-controlled pallet 46, pivoted upon the arm 48, and a similar spring-controlled pallet 47, pivoted upon the arm 48, serve, as actuated by the respective links and connected mechanism, to rotate said ratchet-wheel 45 and through it the shaft 34 and the parts connected therewith. Intermediately upon the feed-shaft 34 are secured the miter-gears 36 and 37, meshing, respectively, with other miter-gears 39 and 40. The gear 39 is secured upon a shaft 41, journaled in the bearin J, and connected by the universal-jointed coupling or link 43 with the shaft of the wheel 24, while the gear 40 is secured upon the shaft 42, journaled in the bearing K, and is connected with the shaft of the wheel 15 by the universal-jointed coupling or link 44, Fig. 1.

It will be noted that the entire mechanism is driven from the shaft 1 and that the feed is regulated by the eccentric adjustment of the end of the connecting-rod 52 upon the disk or crank 55.

60 represents the chain, which as it is fed through the machine is unwound from the spool 5 and wound upon the spool 28.

This machine is devised and intended to so act upon a chain constructed in the usual manner that is, with any two adjacent links normally in planes at right angles to each other-as to twist and flatten said links into the curbed form wherein they will lie one upon another in the same plane.

The operation of the machine will be as follows: Achain having its adjacent links normally in planes at right angles to each other is wound upon a spool, as 5, which is removably journaled in the arm 4 of the shaft 1 in such manner that it will revolve with the shaft and at the same time will rotate in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said shaft. The end of the chain is then led through said hollow shaft 1 and forward between the wheels 11 12, with the links in one plane engaged by the grooves in said wheels, while the adjacent links are engaged by the fiat surfaces on either side of said grooves. The chain is thus held with its adjacent links in planes at right angles to each other, Fig. 1, and is thereby prevented from rotating independently of said wheels, while it is permitted free forward movement between the same. The end links,first preferably twisted, are then inserted between the jaws 19 20, which are then adjusted to hold the said links in the grooves of said jaws and prevent any rotary movement of the same, while allowing the chain to pass forward through the jaws. It will thus be seen that a length of the chain is held between the wheels on the one side end the jaws on the other side and that one end is held against rotary movement while the opposite end will rotate with the wheels. Power is applied through the pulley 2 to retate the shaft 1 and the parts immediately connected therewith, and thereby spirally twist that portion of the chain held between the wheels and jaws, Fig. 1. The grooves in said jaws serve, furthermore, to flatten the links as they are drawn through the same in their twisted condition. The chain is fed forward from said jaws between wheels 15 17, which are grooved similarly to said jaws 19 20 and act to further flatten orcurb said links as they pass between said wheels. Continuing, the chain is led between the feed-wheels 24 27, (which may or may not be grooved.) These feed-wheels may,if desired, be adjusted to furthercompress the links. From the lastnamed wheels the chain is carried to the removable spool 28, on which it is wound in a completed condition.

The chain may in the first instance be led from the spool 5 to the spool 28, as shown in Fig. 2, and the respective wheels and jaws then adjusted to operate as above described. The whole is operated from the driving-shaft 1, and the speed of the feed movement is regulated and determined by the degree of eccentricity given to the movement of the connected end of the con meeting-rod 52 by means of the adjusting means hereinbefore described.

I claim as my invention and desire to soon re by Letters Patent- 1. In a chain-curbing machine, the combi- IIO nation with a hollow shaft and means for rotating the same, of the grooved wheels carried on said shaft and arranged for independent rotation in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said shaft, and each provided with a peripheral groove and fiat surfaces on either side of said groove adapted to engage with adjacent links of a chain in such manner as to prevent them from twisting between said wheels as the latter revolve with the shaft, while permitting them to feed forward as said wheels independently rotate,the holding-jaws arranged forward of and in line with said wheels and each provided with adjacent parallel grooves adapted to receive the links of a chain and prevent them from rotating, while permitting the same to move forward through said jaws, and means for causing the progressive forward movement of said chain through said wheels and jaws.

2. In a machine for curbing chain, the combination of ahollow shaft provided at one end with a bifurcated extension adapted to serve.

as a bearing-support for a spool journaled therein, and at its opposite end provided with an extension adapted to serve as a seat for adjustable supports, peripherally -grooved wheels mounted in said supports for revolution with said shaft, and also arranged for independent rotation in said supports in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said shaft, with means for rotating said shaft.

3. In a machine for curbing chain, the combination of the hollow shaft, the grooved wheels carried on said shaft and arranged for contemporaneous independent rotation in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said shaft, and each provided with a peripheral groove and flat surfaces on either side of said groove adapted to engage and hold adjacent links of a chain and prevent them from twisting between said wheels, the holding-j aws each provided with parallel peripheral grooves adapted to receive the twisted or flattened links and prevent them from rotating, and means for rotating said shaft to thereby twist that portion of the chain extending from said wheels to said jaws.

4. In a machine for curbing chain, the combination with a hollow shaft, and means for rotating the same, of wheels carried on said shaft and revoluble therewith, and mounted for independent rotation in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said shaft, and each provided with a peripheral groove and fiat surfaces on either side of said groove, said grooves and fiat surfaces being adapted for engagement with adjacent links of a chain to thereby prevent said links from twisting between said wheels while permitting free forward movement of said chain through said wheels, holding-jaws arranged forward of and in line with said wheels, and each provided with adjacent parallel grooves adapted for engagement with adjacent links of a chain to thereby prevent them from rotating, while permitting free forward movement of the same through said jaws, the similarly-grooved wheels arranged to receive said chain from said jaws and adapted to compress or flatten the links in their passage through said grooves, feed-wheels arranged to receive said chain from said grooved wheels and adapted to'maintain the tension on the chain, and also to assist in the feed of the same through the machine, and means for operatively connecting said grooved and feed wheels with said rotatable shaft.

5. In a machine for curbing chain, the combination of means for holding a length of chain in which the adjacent links lie in planes normally at right angles to each other, means adapted to spirally twist such links, means adapted to flatten such links so twisted, means for causing the progressive forward or feed movement of said chain through the machine, with means for winding the chain preparatory to removal.

6. In a machine for curbing chain, the described means for twisting the links of a chain, the same consisting of the hollow shaft 1, the grooved wheels 11, 12, carried on said shaft and arranged for contemporaneous independent rotation in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said shaft, and adapted to hold the interposed links of a chain and prevent them from twisting between said wheels, the holding-jaws 19, 20, arranged in line with and a sufficient distance in advance of the same, and adapted to hold the links and prevent them from rotating as said wheels are revolved, and means for rotating said shaft to thereby twist that portion of the chain extending from said wheels to said jaws, all combined with each other and arranged to operate as and for the purposes specified.

JEREMIAH W. PRESBREY.

Witnesses:

HENRY MARsH, J r., RICHARD P. JENKs. 

